There is a huge message here for us today in these short verses. Jesus’ example is just crystal clear. Can’t you just picture the scene? As we read through the New Testament, I don’t know about you, but I get a pretty tainted view of the Pharisees. They are supposed to be upright, holy people. They think they are at least. Time and again I am left shaking my head at their lack of faith, or maybe I should say misdirected faith.
Even today, some church leaders take on an attitude that they are better than the rest. As the wife of a pastor, I know we are sinners in need of a Savior just like everyone else. I was often asked to have my husband, David pray because they thought his prayers carried more weight or something. Not true. We are crying out to God, just like the tax collector in the story. As we should. We all are in need of God’s mercy. Continue reading “Luke 18:9-14 – Humble Yourself Before God”
I absolutely love this passage! Persistence with patience is a beautiful pair. We are reminded that sometimes our prayers are not a once and done sort of thing. God doesn’t necessarily just jump to justice when we first ask. We need to patiently wait for his answer and be persistent in our asking. Jesus gives us this example for a reason.
The kingdom of God – what are your thoughts on this? The Pharisees again are not focusing on the right thing. Many Jews of the time were waiting on a Messiah who they thought would be ultimate power and authority over the rulers of earth, rescuing them from their oppression. They could not see that Jesus was their Messiah. His rescue and reign were not at all as they had imagined.
What do you make of this passage? I have never been able to wrap my head around how only one out of ten came back to say thanks. Didn’t their parents teach them to say “thank you?” The one who did come back expressed his gratitude in such a grandiose fashion! What happened to the other nine?
How much time do we spend talking about sinfulness? It’s a subject we don’t like to think about because we expose ourselves, our faults and our wrong doings. But without exposure, how can we be cleansed. God sees our hearts no matter how much we try to cover up our messiness. When we do face our sin so that we can prayerfully ask for forgiveness, do we look beyond ourselves and pass blame?
